Taylor Swift's New Version of 'Love Story' Has One Big Difference

published 12 February 2021

Taylor Swift released her new recording of "Love Story" at midnight on Thursday.
There's one major difference from the original: Swift's singing voice, which has significantly matured since 2008.
Swift is in the process of re-recording her first six albums after her masters were sold against her will.

Taylor Swift blasted us collectively back to the '00s at midnight last night with the release of her new recording of "Love Story," the single that launched her into international superstardom in 2008. Swift, you'll be aware, is in the process of re-recording her first six studio albums, after she lost control of her masters when Scooter Braun bought Big Machine Label Group, the parent company of her former record label.

For the most part, Swift's new version of "Love Story," released as "Love Story (Taylor's Version)," sounds identical to the original—which is exactly the point, as she aims to supplant the original master recording with the new version that she has complete control over. But there is one significant difference: Swift's voice. "Love Story" was first released when she was just 18 years old; 13 years later, her voice has noticeably matured.

One Year of Marie Claire Magazine

Swift herself reflected on her voice's development in an interview on Good Morning America last November, explaining she felt like a "different singer" to the one who first recorded "Love Story." She called re-recording her early albums a "really amazing, fun adventure"—and revealed "Love Story" was her favorite to revisit.

"So far, of the ones I've recorded, I think it's been the most fun doing 'Love Story' because the older music, my voice was so teenaged and I sometimes, when I hear my older music and my older young teenage voice, it makes me feel like I'm a different singer now," Swift said. "So it's been the most fun to re-record ones that I feel like I could actually possibly improve upon the song." Listen to the new version—and enjoy some very cute throwback photos in the lyric video—below:

Emily Dixon is a British journalist who’s contributed to CNN, Teen Vogue, Time, Glamour, The Guardian, Wonderland, The Big Roundtable, Bust, and more, on everything from mental health to fashion to political activism to feminist zine collectives. She’s also a committed Beyoncé, Kacey Musgraves, and Tracee Ellis Ross fan, an enthusiastic but terrible ballet dancer, and a proud Geordie lass.